It was, I swear, the Zelda Fitzgerald Room of yore – the man sitting at the piano taking your money at the door; the musician sitting at his Wurlitzer, thumping out its wide selection of drum beats that he played with his feet while strumming a guitar; the viola player, back and to the right; the humidity …
The Calton Hotel front room seemed to be bathed in sepia tones for the work of Bucket’s Mosten Powell, his mighty Wurlitzer and various friends’ accompaniments wringing the emotive charge from his songs. Most songs widely known, even a few which “I had to play this way because the band can’t learn them fast enough” – it was the unblemished figure of the songwriter.
The flashback stopped with the advent of Slugfest, four guys who needed just a bit longer in rehersal and a good day nailed to a chair watching a metronome.
With lots of harmonies, the beginnings of some good Melbournian pop tunes but absolutely no direction or clue what they want to do on stage, Slugfest is the prime example of how to begin in this business: gig around with a name that you would never really use just to get the experience for the big one(s). There was a spark but it was definitely in four different directions.
Weathervane? I had not heard a word about them until this night. A couple of songs in and it was quite obvious that they were certainly no ‘in-between’ outfit and I was sold on the idea that they were professional musicians, having a break from backing Steve Earle or some Australian mega-power pop band that I haven’t seen yet. Then Me and Davey was played. Um, how do I know this song …
At last! Quick, gather ’round. It is written in tomes (ie. the Bedtime and Breakfast compilations) that one day the one they call Dan Hartley would actually play live, with a band, and finally lead us all to Cott-pop heaven. Oh, and there he was! Get the fish, loaves and beer!
Well, it’s the first time I’ve seen him play live and with a band, and from what I gather he’s sort-of the lazy godfather of the scene. That is enough reason to see them, I think.
Adam Connors
